Andrea Koch Benvenuto slays Camila Silva to reach the 2nd round – Santiago ITF 2011
In a match between two local starlets, fourth seed Andrea Koch Benvenuto crippled her countrywoman with a breadstick at the Copa Providencia BCI 2011, an ITF event taking place on the clay courts in Santiago, Chile. Benvenuto registered
a 7-5, 6-1 victory over her compatriot to book a second round spot on Tuesday.
World number 279 Benvenuto formulated a straight setter success against her compatriot, ranked almost 300 spaces below her in almost one hour and fifteen minutes. After advancing into the second round, she inched towards her maiden
title this season.
The higher ranked Chilean made a nervy entry on the clay courts as she lost an early serve. However, she made a quick counter-attack and snatched the break back in the proceeding game. Benvenuto then held her remaining serve and
broke again in the end again to clinch the opener with a 7-5 win. She brushed off three out of four breakpoints came across and capitalised on two out of four breakpoint chances to her advantage.
The seed kept momentum rolling into the final set and held her opening serve comfortably. She went into savage mode and pocketed following four games consecutively before Silva could hold on. Benvenuto then held her serve once
more and earned a breadstick. She kept entire serve through her amazing defensive skills and converted two out of three breakpoint chances to her advantage.
The winning Chilean made a brilliant start of the season as she reached the semis at Campobasso ITF event in the first professional tournament she participated this season. She then reached far in other tournaments and made a final
showdown at the Yerevan ITF event before entering this tournament.
Top seeded American Julia Cohen also booked a round of sixteen spot earlier that day. She was leading in the third set when her rival, Chilean wild card entrant Cecilia Costa Melgar, was forced to retire due to back injury.
The American was distracted in the opening set and suffered a 5-7 loss. However, she made a fitting reply in the second set and after going on a five games rampage, Cohen earned a breadstick. World number 182, Cohen kept her composure
in the decider and went 3-1 up after getting an early coveted break. However, the Chilean was forced to retire; Cohen subsequently secured a second round spot.
The highest ranked player of the tournament, Cohen will next face Peruvian Bianca Botto who tumbled over Argentinean Carolina Zeballos on Monday to reach this spot.
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